He said the State also requires a centralised and systematic database relating to the development of the herbal industry, adequate trained human resources and an improved regulatory requirement to systematically upgrade traditional medicine into pharmaceutical products.
Pledging the State Government’s support for initiatives to promote the herbal industry, Musa said it is recognised that the forest posses a large collection of bio-diversity, especially herbal and medicinal plants which are of commercial and pharmaceutical value.
The Minister said this when opening a seminar o Developing Sabah’s Natural Herbal Industry here yesterday. He also launched a book entitled "Sustainable Utilisation of Non-Timber Forest Products: Issue and Prospect".
Musa said it is timely for the forestry sector to be restructured and its various components re-examined especially in relation to commercial utilisation of non-timber forest products including herbal product.
"This is especially critical in view of the fact that the forest eco-system is fragile…reckless and over-exploitation of the forest resources can easily destroy the rich bio-diversity of the state," he said, adding that it is therefore absolutely important that the relevant enforcement agencies acquire the correct interpretation of government properties and policies as understood and intended by policy makers.
MEASURE TO PROMOTE INDUSTRY
As the herbal industry id presently under-developed, the Government will consider serious measures to promote its development through smart partnership with the private sector and the academia," he said.
He said the State Government will consider setting up an Integrated Database on non-timber forest products to provide a good referral centre for researches and interested entrepreneurs.
The state government is also seriously considering a proposal to set up a full-fledged herbarium easily accessible to researchers, entrepreneurs and corporations, he added.
Current statistics showed that the country’s herbal industry has 104 traditional medicine manufacturing premises, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia, one in Sarawak but none in Sabah.
Also, 53 traditional medicine manufacturers are producing medicines in various forms such as pills (43), powders (41), external preparations (28), syrups (18), tea-bags (13), tablets (11), tonics (10) and plasters (3).
"Currently most of our product are imported and Malaysia annually consumes about RM1.2 billion worth of imported herbal products which are sold under various brand names," he said.
As such, they’re great potential home-grown given Malaysia’s rich natural plants bio-diversity, according to him.
Meanwhile Musa said herbal and medicinal plants are part of the non-timber forest product, and studies have highlight their potential in contributing to the state’s economy through sustainable commersialisation apart from its tourism aspects.
He also said Malaysia is among the world’s top 12 bio-diversity-rich countries and ranks fourth behind China, India and Indonesia.
Source:
The New Sabah Times
19/05/1999